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Action Girl Comics
Action Girl Comics was a comic book anthology series, edited by Sarah Dyer, that ran for 19 issues from 1994 to 2000. It features the work of female comic book creators, and was published by Slave Labor Graphics. Its ethos was summed up in Dyer's introductory editorial every issue: "Action Girl has an all-ages sensibility, and is girl-positive and female-friendly -- but never anti-boy." Publication History In the beginning, most of the stories were reprints of minicomics that Dyer wanted to promote and bring to a wider audience, but as time went by, more and more stories were produced specifically for the anthology. Dyer also devoted space at the back of each issue promoting other female-created and -friendly works being published contemporaneously. Action Girl Comics was featured or reviewed in several mainstream publications, including Newsweek, Seventeen Magazine, Spin, and Bluejean. Recurring Features While many of the stories are either stand-alone or series original to the cartoonist, the eponymous superheroine Action Girl (a creation of Dyer's) has recurring appearances along with her own supporting cast. Action Girl is an athletic teenage girl who thinks quickly and usually resolves conflicts with little or no combat. Some of her friends are also superheroines, including Flying Girl and Ultra Girl (formerly Neutrina). Other recurring characters include Gwen and P.J., both of whom are non-superheroic, as well as Susanoo the Brawler, a tempestuous girl related to the Japanese god. However, the majority of stories in the comic are standalone rather than episodic. Issues ActionGirlComics01.jpg|Issue 1 ActionGirlComics02.jpg|Issue 2 ActionGirlComics03.jpg|Issue 3 ActionGirlComics04.jpg|Issue 4 ActionGirlComics05.jpg|Issue 5 ActionGirlComics06.jpg|Issue 6 ActionGirlComics07.jpg|Issue 7 ActionGirlComics08.jpg|Issue 8 ActionGirlComics09.jpg|Issue 9 ActionGirlComics10.jpg|Issue 10 ActionGirlComics11.jpg|Issue 11 ActionGirlComics12.jpg|Issue 12 ActionGirlComics13.jpg|Issue 13 ActionGirlComics14.jpg|Issue 14 ActionGirlComics15.jpg|Issue 15 ActionGirlComics16.jpg|Issue 16 ActionGirlComics17.jpg|Issue 17 ActionGirlComics18.jpg|Issue 18 ActionGirlComics19.jpg|Issue 19 Issue 1 Publication date: October 1994 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Soundtrack' by Jessica Abel *'Action Girl: Cakes and Dresses' paper dolls; Kimi and Kitty strip by Sarah Dyer *'A-Girl:' River Baby Dream Child by E. Wawa *'All Girls Together' by Carol Seatory *'Untitled (Bi Pride)' by Leanne Franson *'Damn Crow' by Rebecca Dart *'Untitled (Ding Dong)' by Fallen Angel *'Action Girl Gears Up for Winter' paper dolls by Sarah Dyer *'Reservoir' by Megan Kelso *'Hey Amy!' by Amy Frushour *'What's Been Going On' by Ms. Phink *'Untitled (Kitty Love)' by Leanne Franson *'The Story of Fluffy' by Jennifer Sorensen *'A Poem' by She-Ra *'True Grunge' by Jessica Abel Issue 2 Publication date: January 1995 Cover by Elizabeth Watasin and Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Don't' by Kris Dresen *'Mortality' by Elizabeth Watasin *'Liliane' by Leanne Franson *'Beautiful' by Chantale Doyle *'Zero Hour' by Patty Leidy *'I Was A Terrorist for Jesus' by Carolyn Ridsdale *'Action Girl' paper dolls by Sarah Dyer *'Gwen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' by Jennifer Sorenson *'Liliane' by Leanne Franson Issue 3 Publication date: April 1995 Cover by Jessica Abel and Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Mile Marker' by Jessica Abel *'Tobey's Tips for Fanboys' by Chris Tobey *'Fishead Goes Undercover' by Carolyn Ridsdale *'Untitled (She Likes Rude People)' by Emily Ryan Lerner *'Rollerskates' by Ariel Bordeaux *'All Girls Together' by Carol Seatory *'Cathode Slave' by Patty Leidy *'Composition' by Megan Kelso Issue 4 Publication date: July 1995 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Action Girl in: Dress Code', written by Sarah Dyer, art by Elim Mak *'$64 Question' by Jessica Abel *'Dracula Gets Stood Up!' by Sarah Thornton *'Amusing Pet' by Beth Johnson *'Tobey ♥ Fanboys' by Chris Tobey *'Bodyology' by Kris Dresen *'Action Girl Plays Dress-Up!' by Sarah Dyer *'Susanoo The Brawler' by Elizabeth Watasin Issue 5 Publication date: October 1995 Cover by Patty Leidy, colored by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Godzilla' by Patty Leidy *'Triple Lutz' by Beth Johnson *'The Woman Who Was a Bird' by Rebecca Dart *'I Had a Lot on My Mind' by Amanda Lewis *'Straighten Up and Fly Right' by Carolyn Ridsdale *'The Indefatigable Gwen in "Marketing"' by Jennifer Sorensen *'Scary Biscuits' by Carol Seatory Issue 6 Publication date: January 1996 Cover Artist: Elizabeth Watasin ;Stories *'Pizza-Face' by Carolyn Ridsdale *'Morning' by Elizabeth Watasin *'Action Girl's Role Models of Style' by Sarah Dyer *'The Bat' by Chris Tobey *'Eight Questions' by Roberta Gregory *'Artbabe in "Too Punk to Funk?"' by Jessica Abel Issue 7 Publication date: April 1996 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Action Girl & Flying Girl in: Big Present' by Sarah Dyer *'Puppets from Hell' by Chris Tobey *'Zero Hour' by Patty Leidy *'Who Am I???' by Ms. Phink *'The Devil's Doing' by Rebecca Dart *'Miss Africa Day' by Suzanne Baumann *'Never' by Jen Benka and Kris Dresen *'My Fugly Fabulous Face' by Amanda Lewis *'Tales from the Family Restaurant' by Jen Sorensen *'Sky-Blue Pink' by She-Ra *'Action Girl Coloring Page' by Anastasia Moreno Issue 8 Publication date: July 1996 Cover by Elizabeth Watasin ;Stories All stories by Elizabeth Watasin *'Prize Fighter' *'Mayhem of the Terror Jocks!' *'Protector' *'Fashion Fun with: Action Girl' paper dolls *'Fashion Fun with: Flying Girl' paper dolls *'A-Girl: Safe Night' Issue 9 Publication date: October 1996 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Tobey & Nicky in "Girls in the Bathroom"' by Chris Tobey *'Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine' by Amanda Lewis *'A Bird in the Hand' by Rebecca Dart *'Zero Hour' by Patty Leidy *'Fashion Fun with: Ultra Girl' paper dolls by Sarah Dyer *'Melba & Spence' by Stephanie Gladden *'The Number 6' by Amanda Lewis *'Lumberjack Fun' by Jennifer Sorenson Issue 10 Publication date: January 1997 Cover by Stephanie Gladden and Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Pivotal Scenes from My Life as a Stage Actress' by Leslee T. Parker *'MRE Blues: A True Army ROTC Story' by Anastasia Moreno *'The Adventures of Pezgal' by Patty Leidy *'Flip Flop' by Chris Tobey *'Bunnygrunt High' by Jen Wolfe *'Sushi Lesson' by Stephanie Gladden *'My Reality' by Amanda Lewis *'Life's Great Rewards' by Sarah Dyer Issue 11 Publication date: May 1997 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Tobey's Holiday Dinner' by Chris Tobey *'Stay Gold Pony Boy' by Patty Leidy *'How I Became Beautiful' by Melissa MacAlpin *'Going Dutch' by Jennifer Sorensen *'Tiny Totz Comix in: Puberty Shmewberty' by Lisa McElroy *'Quitter' by Amanda Lewis *'Pivotal Scenes from My Life as a Stage Actress' by Leslee T. Parker *'Mrs. Miller' by Melissa MacAlpin *'Fashion Is Silly' by Susan Ferguson *'He Shoulda Knowed Betta!' by Chris Tobey Issue 12 Publication date: July 1997 Cover by Tavisha Wolfgarth ;Stories *'Ultra-Girl: Her Day' by Elizabeth Watasin *'Pivotal Scenes from My Life as a Stage Actress' by Leslee T. Parker *'Captain Action Girl' paper dolls by Sarah Dyer Issue 13 Publication date: October 1997 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Scary Godmother in: 6 Feet South of the Border' by Jill Thompson *'Halloween Hi-Jinks' by Patty Leidy, inked by Stephanie Gladden *'Bunny, the Good Li'l Teen Witch' by Elizabeth Watasin *'Babysitter Hell' by Chris Tobey *'Invasion of the Cat Girls from Mars!!!' by Sarah Dyer Issue 14 Publication date: July 1998 Cover by Elizabeth "Eela" Lavin ;Stories *'The Spy Who Dug Me!' by Eela Lavin *'The Adventures of Armless Astrid' by Renee Bosler *'Bridezilla!' written by Erin Strathmann, art by Chris Tobey *'Shopping with Hootch and Lovecraft' by Che Gilson *'Blue Monday: The Ants Come Marching...' by Chynna Clugston *'Fielding Error' by Anastasia Moreno Issue 15 Publication date: August 1998 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'The Ultimatum' by Elizabeth Watasin *'Is There Life After Death?' by Mari Schaal *'Blue Monday: That's the Spirit' by Chynna Clugston *'Post-Fab' by Chris Tobey Issue 16 Publication date: October 1998 Cover by Eela Lavin ;Stories *'The Go-Go Gang' written by Elizabeth Watasin, art by Eela Lavin *'Pigeon Lady' by Mari Schaal *'Toys I Wish Someone Would Invent Just for Me' by Renee Bosler *'Blue Monday: The Curse of the Jesus Head' by Chynna Clugston *'Psyche and Cupid' by Eela Lavin *'Birthday Card' (back cover) by Sarah Dyer Issue 17 Publication date: February 1999 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Blue Monday: Contagiously Yours' by Chynna Clugston *'Love Is...' by Mari Schaal *'The Go-Go Gang: Go-Go Girl Racer! Part Deux' written by Elizabeth Watasin, art by Eela Lavin *'Action Girl's Spring Project' by Sarah Dyer *'Valentines' (back cover) by Chynna Clugston Issue 18 Publication date: June 1999 Cover by Chynna Clugston ;Stories *'Dear Daughter' by Meaghan Dunn *'Seraph' by Che Gilson *'The Return of Zero Hour' by Patty Leidy *'Tango' by Chris Tobey *'I Have Trouble Remembering Her' by Melissa MacAlpin *'Blue Monday: Stop, Shmop!!' by Chynna Clugston Issue 19 Publication date: Winter 2000 Cover by Sarah Dyer ;Stories *'Luciferia Satan: The Devil's Little Sister' written by Sarah Dyer and Madeleine Replogle, art by Elizabeth Watasin *'Mischief Night' by Chris Tobey (as Christine Nightmare) *'I Dreampt I Was an Action Figure with a Kung Fu Grip' by Patty Leidy *'Help PJ and Ant get ready to Trick-or-Treat' paper dolls by Patty Leidy *'The Original Riot Grrlz!' by A.J. Trujillo *'In My Dreams' by Debbie Vasquez Sources *Official Site (archive.org) Category:Publications Category:Modern Age